Greenyard Foods
Corporate brand
UnclaimedBelgian producer, processor and distributor of fresh, frozen and prepared fruit and vegetables.
Last updated October 16, 2026
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Overview
Greenyard Foods, commonly presented today under the Greenyard name, is a Belgian produce company active across the fresh, frozen and prepared fruit and vegetable supply chain. Its business has roots in agricultural produce trading and food freezing, but developed through successive combinations of businesses serving different parts of the horticultural and food-processing market. The group’s activities have included the sourcing, processing, packaging, marketing and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen foods, canned and prepared products, flowers and plants, and horticultural substrates. The company’s historical base can be traced to Weduwe M. Dejonghe & Zonen, a Belgian agricultural produce trader that focused particularly on carrots. A freezing plant was built in Westrozebeke in 1965, creating the industrial foundation for the business that became known as Pinguin in 1968. Pinguin expanded over subsequent decades and entered the public markets in 1999. Its external growth included the acquisition of Lutosa in 2007, a merger with Noliko in 2011, and the addition in 2013 of several production plants formerly associated with the CECAB Group. A separate pillar of the eventual group was Univeg, founded in 1987 by mushroom producer Hein Deprez. Univeg grew from a distribution business into an international supplier of fruit, vegetables, flowers and plants. Its expansion relied substantially on acquisitions and integrations, including Bakker Barendrecht in the Netherlands, Katopé in France, Atlanta AG’s German business, the Bocchi group in Italy and Alara in Turkey. These transactions broadened the company’s geographic reach and strengthened its relationships with growers, retailers and other customers. Pinguin changed its name to Greenyard Foods in 2013. In 2015, Greenyard Foods was established in its modern group form through the combination of Univeg, Pinguin, Noliko and Peltracom. The combination brought together fresh produce distribution, frozen foods, prepared and canned products, and horticultural substrates into one corporate structure. The resulting business was designed to cover a substantial part of the route from growing and processing to retail and foodservice supply. Greenyard’s main commercial proposition is breadth and supply-chain coordination rather than a single consumer product line. Its Fresh business handles fresh fruit and vegetables, historically also including flowers and plants. Its Frozen business supplies frozen fruit, vegetables and related foods, while the Prepared business focuses on preserved, canned and otherwise prepared fruit and vegetable products. The company serves retailers, foodservice operators and industrial or commercial customers, with activities concentrated in Europe and supported by international sourcing and distribution relationships. The group also pursued strategic combinations beyond completed transactions. In December 2017, a possible acquisition of Dole Food Company was publicly discussed. The negotiations were definitively abandoned on January 5, 2018. The episode illustrated the scale of consolidation considered by major produce companies but did not result in a change of ownership or a completed acquisition. Greenyard remains an active Belgian listed food and produce group organized around fresh, frozen and prepared categories.
History
Greenyard’s history combines several Belgian and European food and horticultural businesses that developed in different parts of the produce supply chain. One early predecessor was Weduwe M. Dejonghe & Zonen, an agricultural produce trader whose business was associated particularly with carrots. The group’s industrial food-processing history began in 1965, when a freezing plant was built in Westrozebeke. That facility became the foundation for the company later known as Pinguin, a name adopted in 1968. Pinguin grew through the production and processing of frozen foods and eventually became a publicly traded company in 1999. Its expansion included both acquisitions and combinations with other food businesses. In 2007, it acquired Lutosa, strengthening its position in processed food. In 2011, Pinguin merged with Noliko, a company associated with canned and prepared fruit and vegetables. In 2013, it acquired several plants from the CECAB Group that had previously been leased, increasing its control over relevant production assets. The same year, Pinguin was renamed Greenyard Foods. The other major historical branch was Univeg. Hein Deprez, a mushroom producer, founded Univeg in 1987. The company began as a distribution operation and expanded into a broad international supplier of fruit, vegetables, flowers and plants. Univeg’s growth was driven in part by acquisitions in multiple European markets. Businesses associated with Bakker Barendrecht in the Netherlands, Katopé in France, Atlanta AG’s German operation, the Bocchi group in Italy and Alara in Turkey formed part of this expansion. Through these additions, Univeg developed relationships and capabilities spanning sourcing, distribution and retail supply. The eventual Greenyard structure also incorporated Peltracom, a horticultural business focused on substrates. The combination of Univeg, Pinguin, Noliko and Peltracom in 2015 created a group with activities spanning fresh produce, frozen foods, prepared and canned products, and horticultural inputs. Rather than operating solely as a packaged-goods brand, the group was structured as an integrated business-to-business supplier serving retail, foodservice and other professional customers. The modern company therefore reflects two complementary traditions. The Pinguin lineage contributed freezing, prepared-food and industrial processing expertise, while the Univeg lineage contributed fresh-produce trading, distribution and international sourcing. Peltracom added a horticultural component, and Noliko strengthened the preserved-food side of the portfolio. Greenyard’s business model has consequently covered multiple stages between cultivation and final customer delivery, including procurement, processing, packing, marketing and distribution. The group continued to consider strategic expansion after its formation. In December 2017, Greenyard and Dole Food Company were reported to have discussed a possible acquisition. The negotiations ended definitively on January 5, 2018, and no transaction followed. Greenyard remains a Belgian listed company headquartered in Antwerp Province, with a business organized around fresh, frozen and prepared fruit and vegetables and related horticultural activities.
- 2018
Dole negotiations abandoned
[1]The potential Dole transaction was definitively abandoned on January 5, 2018.
- 2017
Possible Dole acquisition discussed
[1]Greenyard and Dole Food Company discussed a possible acquisition, but the talks did not lead to a completed transaction.
- 2015
Univeg, Pinguin, Noliko and Peltracom combined
[1]The four businesses were brought together to form the modern Greenyard Foods group, combining fresh, frozen, prepared and horticultural activities.
- 2013
Pinguin renamed Greenyard Foods
[1]The company adopted the Greenyard Foods name and acquired several plants from the CECAB Group that it had previously leased.
- 2011
Merger with Noliko
[1]Pinguin merged with Noliko, broadening its prepared and canned fruit and vegetable activities.
- 2007
Lutosa acquired
[1]Pinguin acquired Lutosa as part of its external growth strategy.
- 1999
Pinguin becomes publicly traded
[1]Pinguin entered the public markets after a period of expansion.
- 1987
Univeg founded
[1]Mushroom producer Hein Deprez founded Univeg, which later developed into an international fresh-produce supplier.
- 1968
Pinguin name adopted
[1]The frozen-food business associated with the Westrozebeke plant became known as Pinguin.
- 1965
Freezing plant established in Westrozebeke
[1]A freezing plant was built in Westrozebeke, providing the industrial base for the business that later became Pinguin.
Products and positioning
An integrated European fruit and vegetable supplier combining fresh produce distribution with frozen and prepared-food manufacturing and supply-chain services.
Fresh produce
Greenyard Fresh
The fresh-produce business covers the sourcing, marketing, packaging and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables. The group’s historical fresh activities also included flowers and plants. Greenyard Fresh primarily operates as a supply partner for professional customers such as retailers and foodservice operators rather than as a single consumer packaged-goods label.
Frozen food
Greenyard Frozen
Greenyard Frozen represents the company’s frozen-food activities, which developed from the Westrozebeke freezing operation and the Pinguin business. Its portfolio centers on frozen fruit and vegetables and related frozen food products supplied to retail, foodservice and other commercial customers. The category provides year-round availability and processing formats distinct from the company’s fresh produce operations.
Prepared and preserved food
Greenyard Prepared
Greenyard Prepared covers preserved, canned and otherwise prepared fruit and vegetable products. This activity reflects the company’s historical connection with Noliko and its broader processed-food base. Products are made for professional customers and may be supplied as retail products, foodservice ingredients or components for other food businesses, depending on the market and format.
Horticultural products
Flowers and plants
Flowers and plants formed part of the product scope developed through the Univeg side of the group. These activities extended Greenyard’s horticultural supply-chain role beyond edible produce and connected the company with growers, distributors and retail customers in the ornamental-plant market.
Horticultural inputs
Horticultural substrates
Horticultural substrates were associated with Peltracom, one of the businesses combined into Greenyard Foods in 2015. The activity supplied growing media and related inputs for horticultural production, adding an upstream agricultural dimension to the group’s fresh-produce and food-processing operations.
Brand decisions
2018
Dole acquisition negotiations abandonedM&ABackground
Greenyard and Dole Food Company discussed a possible acquisition in December 2017.
Action taken
The parties ended the negotiations definitively on January 5, 2018.
Aftermath
No Dole acquisition was completed, leaving Greenyard’s existing group structure unchanged.
2015
Combination of Univeg, Pinguin, Noliko and PeltracomM&ABackground
The four businesses represented complementary positions in fresh produce, frozen foods, prepared and canned products, and horticultural substrates.
Action taken
Greenyard Foods combined the businesses under one group structure.
Aftermath
The combination created an integrated produce and food-processing group with activities spanning fresh, frozen and prepared categories.
2013
Pinguin adopts the Greenyard Foods nameStrategyBackground
The Pinguin business had expanded through acquisitions and combinations in frozen and prepared foods and was preparing for a broader group structure.
Action taken
The company changed its name to Greenyard Foods and added several CECAB Group plants that had previously been leased.
Aftermath
The renamed company became the corporate vehicle that was combined with Univeg and Peltracom in 2015.
Recent events
Reported
Greenyard announces Francis Kint as Frozen Division managing director[3]
Greenyard announced that Francis Kint would join the company on 1 July 2021 and succeed Erwin Wuyts as managing director of its Frozen division.
Reported
Greenyard reports increased Q3 sales[4]
Greenyard reported Q3 sales of €983.7 million, up 6.4% from the same period a year earlier, and cumulative sales from continuing operations of €2,952.6 million for the first nine months of financial year 2019/2020, up 1.7%.
Greenyard agrees to divest its Portuguese logistics business[5]
Greenyard signed an agreement to divest Greenyard Logistics Portugal through a management buyout. The deal was not reported as completed.
Sources5 sources
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